As we honor September 25 as Mental Health Professionals Day, we stop to recognize the work of counselors, social workers, and psychologists who support emotional well-being. 

Mental health professionals, just like other professionals, need self-care to continue to be productive and fulfilled in their work. Daily, counselors hold space for others’ stress, and while this work is meaningful, mental health care providers can suffer with compassion fatigue from emotional labor, so self-care is crucial for well-being. Ethically, mental health care professionals need to maintain their own wellness to remain effective.

Self-care for mental health care providers can include things like participating in regular exercise, taking breaks between clients, or getting outside to walk for five minutes. It can also be having regular supervision or consultations, managing workloads, and maintaining supportive personal relationships. Leaving your work at work is very important to set a boundary between work and home life. Having a mindfulness or meditation practice can act to renew energy.

On Mental Health Professionals Day, thank a mental health care professional: social worker, counselor or psychologist! Send a Bravo note or simply thank them in person for the work that they do.